IAAF Council awarded Eugene 2021 IAAF World Championships

The International Amateur Athletic Foundation (IAAF), the world governing body for the sport of track and field, has awarded its premier competition to Eugene, Ore., bypassing the usual bidding process.

The deviation from the usual process was taken in response to what was seen as a unique strategic opportunity to host the IAAF World Championships for the first time in the USA.

The decision followed a presentation to the IAAF in recent months by Eugene. The candidature of the city from the State of Oregon and USA Track and Field (USATF), who mounted a failed bid last November for the 2019 edition of the championships, uniquely combined the commitment of the funding by the governor of Oregon with the support of the United States Olympic Committee and the commitment of NBC to produce and broadcast in cooperation with Universal Sports the championships live across America.

“In granting the championships to Eugene the IAAF Council have made a clear choice on a strategic decision that enables us to take advantage of a unique opportunity that may never arise again, whereby public authorities, the private sector, the national Olympic Committee, NBC and a particularly enthusiastic public are joining forces,” said IAAF President Lamine Diack. “Although this decision departs from the usual procedure, I am delighted that my council colleagues understood the enormous opportunity presented to us to access a key market and have taken a decision in the interest of the global development of our sport.”

Vin Lananna, associate athletic director for the University of Oregon, who led Eugene’s bid for the championships, said, “I thank President Diack, the council and USATF President Stephanie Hightower and CEO Max Siegel in supporting the bid. We promise to deliver an outstanding championships for the sport of track and field in America and around the world.”